LEWISBURG, Pa. — These are Bucknell University story ideas that may interest you in November.
MINDFUL MARKETING — Six Bucknell students developed a set of guidelines for responsible use of generative AI in video production, earning high praise at the recent Mindful Marketing Ethics Challenge, held by the American Marketing Association’s Central Pennsylvania Chapter and sponsored by WebFX. The students, who earned invitations after writing top-scoring case analyses in the Marketing for Social Impact course by Freeman College of Management Professor Gulay Guzel, markets, innovation & design and Sidney L. Miller Career Development Professor, were asked to advise a fictional digital marketing company on the ethical and strategic challenges of adopting AI. Rather than deciding whether to use the technology, they recommended balancing AI’s efficiency with human judgment and creativity, and outlined how organizations can integrate it responsibly while weighing transparency, stakeholder interests and accountability. Their plan culminated in a 90-day AI roadmap: start small, prove AI’s value, integrate what works, then scale responsibly. “With AI now becoming more prevalent in all aspects of life, and especially in businesses, this competition brought to light the realities of AI adoption into companies’ plans and business strategies,” says Julia McClary ’27, who presented with Skyler Agresti ’27. The team also included Sami Rowbottom ‘27, Becca diPietro ’28, Sam Kavensky ’27 and Camille Wilson ’27 and ultimately won first place in the challenge determined by the jury of six distinguished marketing professionals. CONTACT: Guzel, 570-577-1743, gtg006@bucknell.edu
HONORING NATION’S NATIONAL MAMMAL — Since Nov. 2012, the first Saturday in November has been recognized as National Bison Day, celebrating the American bison, designated the official national mammal of the United States in 2016. It’s an important designation at Bucknell, where the bison is the University mascot. “The bison is an icon of strength and the adventurous American spirit,” says Professor DeeAnn Reeder, biology and animal behavior, who co-edited the book Mammal Species of the World. Reeder points out that Bison have roamed the American landscape for more than 100,000 years and hold deep cultural and historical significance for Indigenous peoples. “Once pushed to the brink of extinction in the 1800s, the species has rebounded through decades of conservation efforts,” she says. “Today, approximately 500,000 bison live across North America, though most are raised in commercial herds, while only about 25,000 are managed as wildlife. Conservation initiatives are helping restore wild populations, including returning bison to Tribal lands, where they remain important cultural symbols and contribute to healthy grassland ecosystems.” Reeder, who is a research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, notes that a Bucknell bison is among the displays in the museum’s Bison: Standing Strong exhibit. CONTACT: Reeder, 570-577-1208, dreeder@bucknell.edu
BUILDING THE DIGITAL PORTFOLIO — November is National Career Development Month — an annual observance promoted by the National Career Development Association (NCDA) — and Christa Matlack ’11, career coach, STEM; and Rebecca Thomas, associate teaching professor of electrical & computer engineering and director of Bucknell’s Pathways ePortfolio Program, are doing their part, helping Bucknell students deepen their reflection through ePortfolios. By using the Taxonomy of Reflective Inquiry (TORI) to build their prompts and generative AI tools to expand their reflective practice, they are preparing students to better process, integrate and articulate skills and experiences. “We have seen a number of students that have been asked to provide ePortfolios, whether for graduate school, fellowships, or internships in a variety of industries,” says Matlack. “So it seems to be becoming more of a hiring and networking tool for students. We’ve definitely continued to offer support in developing, especially that professional outward-facing ePortfolio from our office.” “In engineering specifically, I like to use ePortfolios because they’ve helped students develop a broader perspective of their engineering identity,” Thomas says. “They can see that they don’t have to fit in a particular mold to be a successful engineer.” You can learn more about their work with students on developing ePortfolios during their guest appearance on this podcast. CONTACTS: Matlack, 570-577-7162, clm026@bucknell.edu; Thomas, 570-577-3397, rlt013@bucknell.edu
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CONTACT: Mike Ferlazzo, 570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu